When a medical patient finds out that a diagnosis of a serious chronic or terminal illness was made in error, this is cause for relief and joy. However, it also can be infuriating if the diagnosis leads to major changes in the person’s life, including unnecessary treatments. A Chicago medical malpractice attorney is ready to assist these individuals.
Misdiagnosing a Serious Illness
In some cases, a doctor misdiagnoses a serious illness when the patient has a mild disorder or no disease at all. The misdiagnosis can happen when the doctor receives the wrong test results or interprets certain physical symptoms inaccurately. A Chicago medical malpractice attorney would demand compensation if the incident had a significant negative impact.
A Case Study
For instance, a case study has been published about a patient who had developed an odd walking gait. She took unusually small steps with each foot placed firmly on the floor and abnormally far apart. This led to a misdiagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, for which there is no definitive testing available.
After several months, the patient saw a different doctor for another evaluation. This physician disagreed with the original diagnosis. After delving further into the patient’s personal history, it was discovered that she had become phobic about falling. She had suffered a lower back compression fracture after a fall. That’s why she had gradually changed her gait.
After the initial diagnosis, this individual was only willing to be mobile with a wheelchair because of the falling risk. She now needed to taper off Parkinson’s disease medication. To know more about a malpractice attorney, please visit Shea Law Group now.
